Chutes for articles of the abovementioned type are used in particular for sorting packages and are configured as what are known as box chutes. In this case, the articles are sorted in a sorting installation, known as a sorter, into a plurality of chutes according to defined criteria. In the chutes, the articles slide downwards along the chute base to the end of the chute, where the articles are temporarily stored in a collecting region of the chute until the articles are removed from the chute, or the collecting region. The collecting region in this respect provides a storage installation of the chute.
In addition to the at least one chute of the abovementioned type, the sorting installation for sorting the articles also comprises at least one transporting device for transporting the articles to be sorted. The transporting device is in particular a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor. The articles are then sorted by the transporting device, in particular directly, into various chutes according to predetermined criteria. To this end, for example guiding devices, for instance in the form of flaps, can be provided, which guide or push the articles from the transporting device into the corresponding chutes. The articles then slide down the chute bases of the corresponding chutes and are then temporarily stored in the collecting regions at the ends of the chutes, until the articles are removed together, in succession or in part.
The articles can be for example products or goods. In particular, they are packages, these being articles, such as goods, consignments or other items, that are packaged with packing materials. Consignments are typically delivered to particular addresses. In addition, the consignments are often packages, that is to say packaged articles. Before the consignments are delivered to the addressees of the consignments, pre-sorting frequently takes place in a distribution centre, for instance in accordance with the geographical area of the addressees. The distribution centre can be for example what is known as a parcel sorting centre, a warehouse or the like. After being sorted, the consignments can be delivered or sorted further, which can take place for example at a different location from the previous sorting operation. The consignments can be delivered to the addressees of the consignments or to corresponding drop-off points, for example parcel boxes or Packstations.
In the present case, articles, packages and/or consignments are considered to be a variety of different items which can preferably be transported with reasonable effort as regards their size and their weight. These include items for everyday use, such as consumables or foodstuffs, and also technical items and equipment. In many cases, the consignments are letters, parcels and/or flyers. In this case, parcels also include packets, while flyers can also be leaflets, brochures and periodicals.
When the articles are intended to be sorted into a large number of different groups, a corresponding number of chutes is required. Alternatively, the articles would have to be sorted several times in succession in order for all the articles to be sorted into the predetermined groups of articles. In order to save time for sorting the articles, it is appropriate to execute the different sorting steps partially in parallel in several sorting installations. Irrespective of whether the articles are sorted in one sorting installation or in parallel in different sorting installations, sorting requires a great deal of space for the at least one sorting installation. The space requirement is all the higher, the greater the number of criteria according to which the articles are sorted. This is because it is then necessary for more chutes to be provided overall in order to sort the articles therein. In addition, the maximum throughput of a sorting installation, that is to say the number of articles that can be sorted per unit time with the sorting installation, is limited. If the maximum throughput is insufficient, either the sorting installation has to be expanded or a further sorting installation has to be used, this further increasing the space requirement.
If several sorting installations are used, these can be arranged in part one above another, in order to confine the space requirement. In this case, the sorting installations can be of identical construction and/or execute sorting of the same type. Here, it is possible for example for the transporting devices of the sorting installations to be arranged one above another. For the chutes, this typically applies only to a limited extent, since the articles sorted in the chutes have to be removed, in particular manually, from the chutes. Therefore, the collecting regions of the chutes have to be correspondingly accessible. The accessibility is generally achieved in that the chutes of all sorting installations are guided to a common level. This makes it necessary to position the collecting regions of the chutes at least in part alongside one another. Alternatively, it is also possible for several chutes to be arranged one above another. However, considerable design outlay is then additionally necessary in order to remove the articles from the collecting regions, arranged at different levels, of the chutes. Moreover, the removal of the articles from the chutes is then associated with additional effort.